


Arc & Shield (Sequel to The Iron Captain)

by GeoffrytheButtler



Series: The Iron Captain [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Superfamily, Superhusbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-05 05:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeoffrytheButtler/pseuds/GeoffrytheButtler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The man looked straight into the camera in front of him. "Steve Rogers, I love you. And I have missed you like crazy every day that you were gone. But I can't see you again." And with that, Tony turned around and left the podium, keeping that mask that he wore so well.</p>
<p> The reporters jumped to their feet, shouting questions, but they fell on deaf ears. The man could hear nothing but the sound of his heart beating a mile a minute, the only thing confirming the simple fact that he was alive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 Hey Steve, long time no talk. I thought'd I'd just tell you that things have settled down over here, and we all miss you. I hope you're having a good trip, see you when you get back. -BB

 Steve Rogers smiled softly at the text message, before returning the cell to his pocket. It had been about five months since he had left New York City to take a getaway trip. So far, he had been able to see quite a bit. He visited a few national parks, and had gotten some amazing sketches done. The scenery outside of the city was breathtaking. Why he hadn't done this sooner was completely unknown to him.

_But there's a time for everything._  He reminded himself, and retrieved his luggage from the conveyor belt. The blond looked around as he shrugged his backpack onto his other shoulder to distribute the weight better, and smiled. A British woman's voice spoke over the intercom of the airport, and Steve smiled as he listened. There was just one more thing he had to do before he went home, one more person he would have to see. She probably wouldn't recognize him, but that was alright. He just wanted to pop in, see that she was okay, leave her some flowers and then hop onto his flight and head home.

 Home, it seemed like such a strange word to him now, the thought of a bed waiting for him, a welcoming room, an empty room. He quickly shook his head of the thought.  _No, I need to just, do what I have to._ He thought quickly, and pushed the thought of New York out of his head, and all things associated with it.

~*~

 "Please come home Steve, I need you. I can't sleep, not without waking up screaming and having no one there to help me through it. No one gets me like you... I can't do this." Tony groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. "Shall we try again sir?" JARVIS asked, a twinge of worry to the AI's voice. "No, that's enough for today. I," The man stopped before he could finish his sentence. Before he could tell the truth about how he was feeling. "I'm going to get something to eat." he muttered, rubbing his eyes, and walking out of the lab of Avenger's tower, going to the kitchen, but knowing he wouldn't be able to stomach much more than a strong glass of alcohol.

 The nightmares had gotten a bit better, after all that had happened the past few months, but honestly, he couldn't deny it anymore. He missed Steve. He had been able to handle the nightmares better when Steve was around. He understood, he helped, but now, Steve was gone and Tony was alone. Tony being as stubborn as he was, he refused to seek any real help. He talked to Bruce, sure, but that didn't mean the man could help his friend. It was hard, and it was only going to get harder.

 He walked to the cabinet, and his stomach churned at the thought of him trying to eat anything. He had to try though, he was running out of energy. Coffee wasn't going to keep him going forever. The tired man sighed, and attempted to reach into the highest cabinet, having a bit of a struggle, and immediately Steve's face flashed into his mind.

  _He would be able to get this; he was always around for this_. Tony shook his head quickly, as if that could help shake the image of his past lover from his thoughts, but of course, he knew that was a ridiculous notion. Just like his denial that he was fine now, that he could handle the days, go through life and pretend like everything was fine. But it wasn't. He knew he had a heart now, because he could feel it shattering within his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little character reappearance. Expect happy tears with Steve, and with Tony.... Meh you'll create your own feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's pretty recommended that you listen to "Ghosts That We Knew" during a certain part of this story. You'll know when.

Steve had never liked hospitals. Even as an adult, they gave off a feeling that he just couldn't shake. But thankfully, he didn't have to go to one. He stood outside the door of Peggy's apartment, a small gift box in his hands, and a bouquet of forget-me-nots in the other. He had almost decided against the flowers, worried they would seem stupid, and he had felt like she deserved something better. But still, the solider felt the added bit of irony might make her smile a little brighter, if she wasn't smiling already.

 He took in a deep breath, before stepping up to the door and ringing the intercom. "Hello?" a voice, still strong even in its older tone, sounded over the device. "Hello, I have a delivery for a, Miss Carter?" Steve announced, keeping his eyes averted from any possible cameras. "That is I, come on in, fourth door on your right." The woman, Peggy, said as she let the stranger in. The soldier did as asked, and entered as soon as the door buzzed to unlock the front door.

 He stepped into a nice flat; it was, comfortable. It was definitely her type of home. It looked neat and tidy; he could see where Peggy had her files stored away, the old paper folders beginning to wear with age. He recognized the style; it seemed she had kept some files from the war. He wondered if she had kept his, the one that claimed him to be dead.

 "You'll have to mind the mess; I haven't cleaned up in a while." Peggy said, hand floating over her cane for a moment. She was standing in her bedroom; she had just finished dressing when the unexpected visitor arrived. And now, she was back in her old days, when she was ordering young men around, never showing weakness, not even in the bleakest of times.

 She finally retracted her hand, and stepped out into the main room of her flat, breathing in the faint scent of lavender. She looked up, and thought her heart had stopped in her still strong chest. Her throat went dry, and she immediately regretted not grabbing her cane as she began to feel her balancing shifting, as she met those familiar blue eyes, filled with justified fear as the old woman began to fall.

 "Peggy!" Steve ran to catch her, and she fell forward into his arms, making no sound as they slumped to the carpeted floor. "Oh God I'm dead," she whispered, choking a bit on her words, for fear that they just might be true. "You're not dead Peggy, you're not dead." The soldier muttered into her hair and breathing in her soft scent. "Then how are you here? I heard you go into that ocean, you were gone for seventy years, Howard - no one ever found you." Peggy tightened her grip on the front of Steve's shirt, hiding her face in his chest so he wouldn't see her true feelings.

 "It's, hard to explain, but some people from S.H.I.E.L.D found me, and, I had been frozen all that time...I'm alive Peggy, and I didn't exactly know how to tell you." The soldier was caught off guard by her slight laughter. It was weak, but he could still hear it. "Well, this was one hell of a way to do it." Peggy laughed, and looked up at him, a weak smile on her lips. "You missed our date." She sniffled, and a tear slipped out, one that he was quick to catch with a weak chuckle. "Is there anything I can make it up to you?" he asked, and she met his eyes with a gentle smile.

 "There is."

~*~

 Tony sighed heavily as he got out of his Ferrari, eyes a bit blurry from the tears, and head pounding from his rapid heartbeat. There was something he just had to do, and he knew he was going to probably hate every moment of it. He walked across the grass of the cemetery, and stopped dead in his tracks at the large tombstone, the print reading  _Howard Stark, Loving Husband and Father,_ it made Tony want to puke.  _Loving father my ass._  He thought sourly, and crossed his arms. "Hello, Howard. It's been a while." He looked around; making sure no one was hearing this. No one was.

 "I uh, I thought I should stop by and tell you, shit, I can't do this." He scrubbed his face with his hands, groaning. He felt like an idiot. Why was he doing this? It wasn't like Howard could hear him, and even if he could, the man probably wouldn't listen. Listening wasn't one of Howard's better qualities. He turned away from the tombstone, and took in a deep breath. His anxiety was beginning to rise, and he wanted to walk away.

 He waited for some stupid sign that he should continue, but found none. He didn't care, he was going to talk, and he was going to say what he wanted whether Howard listened or not. He gave an exasperated grunt of frustration, and turned around, voice rising as he spoke from his heart, something he hadn't done to his father in quite some time.

 "I'm gay dad, and I'm in love with Steve Rogers. You remember him don't you? The very guy you helped to make, the one who was supposed to save the world, save lives, not ruin them? Well looks like your little plan failed dad, looks like I wasn't one to get saved. Because I fell head over heels for your little experiment, and he broke me, he fucking broke me and left me here and I don't know if he's coming back to me or not, or if he even will. He's off in God only knows what country, and I haven't spoken to him in months. And each month, has been a living Hell for me.

 "Do you know what that's like dad? Do you know what it's like to fall in love with someone, to find out they love you back, only to have them torn away from you because they think that it'd be better for you to be apart? No, you probably don't. Because let's face it Howard, you got everything you ever wanted, and you didn't care how you got it. You have,  _no_  clue what you've done to me. You have no clue, how all those years, of me, trying to please  _you_ , trying to make  _you_  happy, you have no idea what they've done to me!"

 He felt a raindrop, and then another. It was beginning to rain, but he didn't care. "You have no idea, how badly, I wanted to be so different from you. I never wanted to hurt anyone the way you hurt me, but children are a product of their environment, and look at me. I've hurt, so many people in my past, and I can't take that all back. I want to, but I can't. And neither can you. Are you proud of yourself? Are you proud of the way I turned out?

 "I was  _terrified_  to have children because of you. I was afraid I was going to be like you, I was afraid I was going to push them, and push them until they couldn't take it anymore. I was scared that they would turn out like me when I was younger, before I became Iron Man, before...before all this happened to me. Before I was able to grow up, and leave my past behind me. But, I can't get past you. I want to, but I needed to say this first.

 "I needed to tell you, that you were a horrible father, you were, a self-absorbed, headstrong, inconsiderate, alcoholic asshole!" he screamed, and thunder cracked above him, rain pouring down, masking the tears that were falling down his face. "I hate you, so much. And I want you to know that. I hate you, I hate you I hate you I hate you." He fell to his knees, not caring about the mud staining his suit, not caring about how his body was so tired, all his energy exhausted.

 "I hate you." he whispered, and pressed his forehead against the granite headstone. "And I'm not going to let you control me anymore." He took in a deep breath, and stood. "Goodbye dad." he muttered, and went back to his car, the rain still pouring down, even as he got in his car and drove away.

~*~

 "I can't believe you actually know how to dance." Peggy laughed as Steve gave her a soft twirl, making sure to catch her with ease. "I've had quite some time to practice." The soldier smiled, and the woman sighed softly as she nested her head in his broad chest. A soft song serenaded them on the radio of Peggy's flat, playing a soft tune that neither really cared to try and recognize.

 Peggy felt herself begin to cry, and she was quick to wipe away her tears. "Don't cry Peggy, I'm right here," Steve cooed, and pulled her closer as they danced, twirling her soft gray curls, humming along with the music. He was so happy at this moment, but deep down, he felt a pain in his heart. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't worry about it right now. He just pushed it away as he looked down at the woman in his arms, soft wrinkles making her look even more distinguished in her old age.

 "You're so beautiful." he whispered, causing her to blush and turn away. "No, I was." Steve frowned, and titled her chin towards him. "Listen to me. You're just as beautiful as the day I went down into that ocean. And I will never meet another woman that I loved as much as I love you." he said, and wiped away her tears. "I love you Steve Rogers, and I wished that you would come back to me. But, we can't be together now, and I know that, but, I'm just glad I got to finally have that dance." Peggy smiled, and Steve gave a small chuckle. "You know, maybe it's not such a bad thing that I was frozen for all those years. At least now, I don't have to worry about stepping on your feet." She laughed, "Don't speak too soon soldier, you always were unpredictable."

 He laughed with her, and kissed her forehead. "I wish you didn't have to go." Peggy muttered, and held him close. "I wish I didn't either Peg, but, I have someone waiting for me, and I need to go back to them, and fix some mistakes that I've made." Steve sighed. "I understand." she whispered, and to both of their dismay, the song began to slowly end, and they were forced to part. "Goodbye Steve." She smiled. "Goodbye Peggy." He closed his eyes, and pulled her into a gentle kiss. It was a simple kiss, a simple pressing of their lips, neither wanting to ruin the moment with an unnecessary movement. They weren't sure how long they held it for, but they pulled away at the same moment, their eyes meeting with an old, familiar feeling, before it was gone with a bat of their eyelashes.

 "Keep in touch." Peggy said as she hugged him goodbye. "I promise I will. I'll miss you." Steve promised, and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Enjoy your flowers." "I will." She smiled, and watched him walk out the door, not moving as it closed behind him. "It was good to see you alive Steve," She sighed, and went to turn off her radio, still feeling his warmth surrounding her.

 Steve walked out into the chilly air, and wiped away the tears from his eyes. He hailed a cab, getting in, and directing the driver to the airport.

_Hey Bruce, better get my room together, I'm coming home. -SR_


	3. Chapter 3

 Tony sighed loudly as he opened the door to his now empty house. "Just me, you, and the furniture tonight JARVIS." he muttered as he entered, closing the door behind him and tossing his keys on the counter. "Not quite so sir, you have a visitor." The AI responded, its voice light, sounding as if it was smiling. "What the hell are you talking about Jarv? I didn't call anyone." The man frowned, and looked around the room.  _Empty_ , he thought, until he looked down at a trail of rose petals, leading down stairs. He peered at them, confused.

  "JARVIS? Who's in my house?" Tony asked, following the path. "You'll see, sir." JARVIS said. "This isn't funny you know," The brunette growled as he started down the stairs. The smell of food reached his nostrils, causing his mouth to water a bit. "Someone's been cooking." He recognized the meal, but he couldn't place the name, it was something he had cooked before; on his first "date" with Steve, he had made this meal.

 He walked a bit faster, heart fluttering a bit at the idea. It had months since he had seen the soldier, every day seemed like a living Hell, every day... He reached the door to his lab, and saw a meal laid out, chicken, green beans, asparagus, red potatoes, two glasses of schnapps poured. "Steve?" Tony called as he entered, looking around. "Steve I know you're there!" He turned around, and a pair of warm, sweet lips pressed themselves against his own.

 Tony knew instantly who it was. He smiled against the kiss, but then a feeling of anger washed over him. He quickly shoved the larger man away, glaring. "Who the hell do you think you are coming into my house and acting like just because you kiss me I'll take you back?" he asked, aggravated. Steve rolled his eyes and laughed. "I think I'm Steve Rogers, Captain America, super soldier, the man you love." He smirked, and the brunette rolled his eyes.

 "Hey, the snarky thing is my bit, not yours." Tony said, glaring playfully. Steve just chuckled. "I missed you," he whispered. "I missed you too." the other man sighed, and pulled the blond into another kiss. They wrapped their arms around one another, scared to let go, for fear that one of them would leave again. "Does this mean you'll take me back?" The blond muttered between kisses. "Does this mean you'll promise not to hurt me again?" Tony asked weakly.

 Steve pulled away from the kiss, and looked him in the eye. "Listen Tony, the only reason I did what I did was to protect you. And I know, you got hurt, and I'm sorry, I truly am, and, I never want to hurt you again. Because when you hurt, I hurt." He paused for a moment, waiting for Tony to give him a sign to go on.

 The smaller man nodded, and Steve took that as the signal. “And, I want to show you, for a fact, that I'll never hurt you again." he said, and took one of Tony's hands in his own. "Anthony Edward Stark, you are one of the best people I have ever met in my entire life. And, I want to make sure I become one of yours too." The blond reached into his pocket, and Tony realized what he was doing. "Steve-" he muttered, tears welling up in his eyes.

 "Tony, will you marry me?"

"Tony? Tony come on man wake up!" Tony was awoken by a hand shaking him, Bruce. "What? What I'm awake." The man muttered, hung over and dazed. "You were talking in your sleep..." The scientist said, looking over his friend with pity. "Is that all? You woke me up for that?" Tony growled, rubbing at his temples, head pounding. "No, actually, I woke you up because you have a conference in two hours. You need to get your drunk ass up." Bruce answered, and went to the man's closet, tossing a suit at him. "Do I have to go?" The brunette groaned, retreating back under his covers, hoping to get a few more minutes of sleep.

 "Yes. Now get up or I'll go Hulk on you and throw you out." Bruce threatened playfully, tearing the covers off the bed, and laughing as Tony threw a pillow that was obviously meant for his head, but in the man's state, it barely brushed past his knees. "Fine, mother." The man teased, sighing, and standing up to get dressed. The other left, leaving Tony to himself. Bruce had heard Tony's talking, and heard as he repeated Steve's name over and over.  _He can lie all he wants. He misses him._  The scientist thought, and headed down to the kitchen in the tower.

 Tony put a nice suit on, not caring to glance at himself in the mirror. He could care less about what he looked like today; he just wanted to get back to his bed and booze. His little attempt at sobriety was short lived, as the drink was the only thing that could make him forget about the blond haired soldier. But, the same thing that made him forget during the day, made him remember in his dreams. That was fine for him though, at least in his dreams he could hear Steve's voice, feel his touch...  _No, I don't miss him. He's gone. And I'm putting my past behind me. That includes him_. The brunette thought sourly.

 It was a decision he had made not so long after destroying his suits. He figured that by leaving his past behind, he could avoid all the pain that often surfaced because of it. He secretly hated himself for it. He still loved Steve, and he knew that. He knew that Steve was going to be the toughest thing to put out of his life, but he needed to do it.

 He needed to let go.

~*~

 It was a silent ride to the conference. Tony didn't speak to anyone, not even when addressed. He just brushed everyone off with a wave of his hand, a low mumble, and that would be it. He would say nothing more of the matter. The paparazzi were relentless as usual, attempting to get something out of Tony and his big plans for any new projects. No one knew of his affair with Steve, save for Natasha, Bruce, and Pepper, along with Christine. Just the thought of her made Tony want to spit.  _She ruined everything._  He lied to himself. He knew full well that Christine had only furthered the inevitable.

 Tony took in a deep breath before releasing himself to the paparazzi, the wave of questions frankly overwhelming to him, but he wouldn't let it show. He just walked right past them, ignoring camera flashes and microphones. He just wanted to get this conference over with; he could really go for a drink right about now. He prepared himself for the conference, straightening himself up; finally looking into a mirror and seeing the dark circles beneath his eyes, making the red veins stand out even more. He grabbed a guy from makeup to cover up the slight imperfections. He wouldn't let the world see how broken he truly was.

~*~

 Steve sighed heavily as he walked into his old room, breathing in the familiar scent, and feeling tears prick at the back of his eyes.  _I'm home._  He smiled gently at the word, and set his things down, deciding he would freshen up before surprising Tony at his conference.

 He knew he should probably do something a bit more romantic, but he knew Tony would be expecting that. Well, this was a new Steve, one who what he wanted, one who knew who he loved, and one who was completely unpredictable. He hummed softly to himself as he got in the shower, got dressed, and even put on some nice aftershave that he knew was Tony's favorite.

 He made sure to check his pant pocket for Tony's special gift, and he couldn't stop smiling. "Get ready baby, I'm coming back home." Steve half-whispered, and set out the door, jumping on his motorcycle and speeding to see the man he loved.

~*~

 "I can't do this anymore." Tony mumbled into his earpiece, dropping his head away from the microphone. He was in the middle of the conference, discussing what had happened over the past few months and just how he had defeated the Mandarin. "Come on Tone, you're almost done, just-" Rhodey tried desperately to keep his friend from doing what he was about to do, but it was too late. "No Rhodey, I need to say this. I'm sick of hiding. Now don't try to stop me." Tony tore the earpiece from his ear, and looked out into the crowd. "I have something I need to say." with that, all pens were set to paper, phones and cameras raised, along with recorders, to try and see what the great Tony Stark had to announce. Tony looked around a bit, grabbing the edge of the podium before he began to speak, "For the past year, I have been keeping a very large secret from all of you. And now, I can't hide it. I'm tired of constantly lying to myself every day, and lying to everyone around me. I recently fell in love with someone, and we got together. But, as we quickly found out, we weren't able to stay happy while we were with each other, and, we broke up. And, he left-" A collective gasp came from a few people in the crowd at the word, 'he'.

 "And I was left to miss him and try and deny that fact. But now I'm no longer denying it." The man looked straight into the camera in front of him. "Steve Rogers, I love you. And I have missed you like crazy every day that you were gone. But I can't see you again." And with that, Tony turned around and left the podium, keeping that mask that he wore so well.

 The reporters jumped to their feet, shouting questions, but they fell on deaf ears. The man could hear nothing but the sound of his heart beating a mile a minute, the only thing confirming the simple fact that he was alive. 

~*~ 

 Steve smiled wide and took in a deep breath as he walked to the doors that led to the conference hall. He could hear Tony's voice, but he could sense something was wrong in it. The voice was cold, and he could hear it give the slightest shake every now and then.  _Something is wrong._  He thought, and bounded into the hall, stopping just short of the door as he heard the words escaping Tony's lips.

 The ring in his pocket suddenly felt heavy, and he reached in, fingering the box, feeling the sharp corners of the box and pressing his finger against it, causing himself pain to know he was alive. He took in a breath, and placed his hand on the door, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he was about to go in and do what he had been waiting months to do. But he stopped as the dreaded sentence pierced his ears.  _I can't see you again._

 Steve thought the wind had been stolen right out of him, and he had to hold onto the table nearest the door, trying to keep himself from falling to the ground. He looked at the door with tears in his eyes, hoping that it was all a lie, some sort of cruel joke, but he knew it wasn't. He turned around, and ran out of the building, jumping on his motorcycle and driving off, pulling out blindly into the busy New York traffic, and not caring the least bit.

 He needed to get away from that place, away from Tony; he needed to clear his head and figure out what the hell had just happened, and what he was going to do now.

~*~

 Tony was in no mood to deal with the onslaught of questions that were bound to come from his friends and of course Fury, but he didn't want to go out in public. He had never felt so alone at that moment, so scared. He wanted to get away from everything, everyone, but he had no idea how to go about it. He felt closed in, caged, everyone wanted something from him. He knew it was a ridiculous notion, but it was still there.

 He decided that the Silver Celtics would be a good place, no one would be there at this time of day, and he could be there alone with his thoughts and a bottle of whiskey. He could finally have a place to forget. He drove there without minding the busy traffic, and he probably broke at least five laws as he drove to the bar, but he could care less. He finally reached the place, and parked his car down the street, keeping his head low as he walked quickly to the empty bar.

 Dianne was working behind the counter, and as she watched Tony walk in, she flicked the channel, changing it to some stupid sport, not wanting the man to know that she had seen his little breakdown. She poured him his regular drink, and brought it over to him in his little corner table, lights revealing the dark mood he was in. She said nothing as she set the glass down in front of him, and she watched with sympathetic eyes as he downed the shot.

 "Pretty funny that I should come here to try and forget him, when this is the place that just causes me to remember." The man muttered, and Dianne gave him a gentle smile. "Forgetting isn't always easy," she said, pouring him another shot. "And you should know by now the alcohol doesn't help." "What can I say? I'm an idiot." Tony muttered, half-smiling at her.

 "In more ways than one." she mumbled as she turned away, and headed back to the bar.The miserable man downed his drink, listening as "Piano Man" played gently over the speakers.


	4. Chapter 4

 Steve gripped the ring tightly in his hand, the diamonds digging into his palm as he looked out across the blue ocean. Anger and hurt flooded his veins, and he choked back a sob as he doubled over, kneeling into the soft sand. Tears escaped before he could stop them, and he found himself crying, sobs racking his body as he looked out across the water.

 The sun was covered by some clouds, casting a dark shadow over the water and giving no sense of time. Steve knew it must still be light out, the summer days were still here, but today it felt as if winter had returned once more, chilling his bones. The soldier wiped his eyes free of tears, although more came before long, and he once more reduced to his weak state.

 He didn't understand what had happened, why Tony had suddenly changed his mind, why he had suddenly disregarded everything they had shared, everything that they had been through. He was able to throw it away with one painful sentence. He felt broken, and everything inside him hurt. 

 He felt anger once more replace his hurt, and he seethed. He stood up, trails of salty tears the only proof of his past feelings. He took in a deep, shaky breath, before cocking his arm back and tossing the ring into the ocean as far as he could. The object went soaring, catching a small ray of light as it fell into the ocean, and disappeared from sight.

 _Out of sight out of mind_. Steve thought coldly, and turned around, heading back to Avengers Tower. He was never going to let himself out of Tony's mind.

~*~

 Tony finally stumbled into his apartment around eight, five hours after the fiasco at the conference. He was drunk, and smelled heavily of alcohol. All he wanted to do at that moment was get to bed, and get this day over with. But someone had other plans. "Hello Mr. Stark," a cold but familiar voice greeted the man as he closed the door behind him, and Tony's bloodshot eyes fell upon the last person he wanted to see.

 "What the hell are you doing here? I told you I didn't want to see you again." Tony slurred, stumbling into the kitchen. Steve was quick to follow. "No, you never told me that. You told the whole country you didn't want to see me again," He placed a hand on the brunette's arm to turn him around. "And I want to know why." Tony angrily slapped the man's hand off of him, glaring as best he could at the blond. "I don't need to explain myself to you. We're not together anymore, remember?"

 "Yeah, I remember. But I'm here to change that! I want you back Tony, and you said-" Steve began, but the other man quickly cut him off. "I know what I said! But now I changed my mind! I don't want you back!" That was a slap in the face to Steve. He looked at Tony with hurt apparent in his eyes, but it was obvious that the other man could care less about his feelings at that moment. "Now, you're trespassing on private property, so I suggest you get out before I take matters into my own hands." The brunette's voice was low and threatening, and Steve felt his anger rise quickly. "For your information, I live here!" he snapped, hands balling into fists.

 "Not anymore you don't! You made your choice when you walked out all those months ago!"

 "I never made a choice! I never wanted to leave, but I had to Stark!"

 "Oh you  _had_  to? You had to walk out on me without so much as a warning? We were perfect Steve, we had just gotten back together, things were going great!"

 "Things were far from perfect Tony! I was the other man; you were cheating on Pepper the whole time we were together!" Steve pointed out.

 "Well you obviously didn't seem to mind when you were fucking me almost every night!"

 Steve blushed instantly. "You're disgusting." Tony cocked an eyebrow, and neared the soldier. "What's the matter Cap? I thought you liked my dirty talk," The brunette accused, smirking suggestively. "Key word in there is, 'liked'." The blond snapped, not backing down from the other man. "Oh really? So all those nights of me getting you hard, just from saying how much I wanted to just drink in that amazing taste of your dick, that was all a lie?" Tony advanced a bit, but Steve smirked. "I don't know, why don't you tell me Stark?" The soldier asked, turning the tables as he nodded towards Tony's pants.

 The man went slack-jawed. "That's what I thought. Admit it, you want me back." Steve taunted, nearing the other man. "No. I don't." Tony snapped, but he couldn't ignore the way his heart beat quickened. "Liar. You know you've missed me, you know you missed me touching you," He licked his lips as he stepped his body against the other man's, placing a hand on his side. "Kissing you," He placed a kiss on Tony's jaw, smirking as he heard the brunette's breathing hitch. "Making love to you," He brushed his lips against the other man's, feeling him weaken slightly.

 "Stop." Tony said angrily, hating himself as he felt his knees buckle slightly. "Why babe? You know you love it. You know you want me just as bad," Steve locked his eyes on the other man's, blue eyes staring passionately into brown ones. "As I want you." The brunette just stared, mouth slightly parted, and breathing heavier than usual. He had missed Steve so badly, and he knew what the soldier was saying was true.

 Tony knew that with one word he would be able to take back everything he had said, and be able to be with Steve, if only for one more night. He would be able to fall asleep in the same arms that had held him all those nights before, the one's that kept him warm during the cold nights, the one's that made him feel secure, and kept away the nightmares that had for so long ravaged his dreams, and comforted him through the one's that they missed.

 But once more, all the hurt came back, and he remembered all the nights he had spent alone, crying himself to sleep at night because he was in so much emotional pain. He couldn't go through that again, he wouldn't. "No!" The man shook his head angrily, and pushed Steve away. "No! I'm done with you! You left, and you weren't there for me when I needed you most!"

 "What do you want me to say? That I'm  _sorry?_ " The soldier's voice was hard, much harder than he meant for it to be. If it would make everything okay, he would apologize in and instant.

 "An apology isn't good enough Cap! You can't just fix us like that! You can't expect me to take you back, after everything that had happened, after everything I went through! I had to go through all of that alone! And where were you? Not with me that's for sure!" Tony accused.

 "Do you think I wanted to break up with you? Do you think I enjoyed leaving you? Telling you all those thing that now I wish I could take back? I did what I had to do to protect you! I was saving your sorry ass!" Steve was screaming now, and Tony only matched his tone.

 "What the hell are you talking about? I don't need your help with anything anymore!" That was a lie. Maybe Steve couldn't see it, but it was. Tony needed him so badly, especially right now.

 "Yeah, anymore! Because I was the one who had to handle everything like always!"

 "What the fuck do you mean?"

 "I was protecting you-"

 "From what? No one was going to try and hurt-"

 "Will you shut up and let me talk for one minute?" Steve yelled, slamming his fist down on the counter. No reaction came from the other man except for an increase in anger. "Christine had found out about us! She was going to tell everyone about us! She was going to expose us, and I was worried about protecting your god damned reputation!" The blond yelled.

 "You think I cared more about my stupid reputation than I did you?" Tony's voice was still high, but full of disbelief. Steve didn't say anything. He just gave a curt nod, his breathing heavy, and adrenaline still flowing through him. The other man watched him in stunned silence, his face somber. The soldier watched his body shift, as if he was going to make a move towards him, but the sound of someone entering the room stopped him dead in his tracks.

 "What the hell is going on in here?" Bruce asked, eyes falling on the scene in front of him. "Nothing. I was just leaving." Steve said quickly, not bothering to look back at the brunette as he dodged Bruce, and headed into his own room. Tony wanted to call out after him, to run after him and wrap himself in Steve's arms, and to drag him into the bedroom and fuck him senseless, only to lay there in the wake of their deed, and share simple whispers and gentle kisses, and lose track of time as he stared into those pools of blue.

 "Tony?" The scientist asked quietly, looking over his broken friend. "Are you alright?" The man in question snapped back to reality, and gave a small, shaky nod. Bruce could see his bottom lip trembling, but as he went to comfort his friend, the other man turned around and stumbled into his bedroom, locking the door behind him.

 Tony collapsed against the door, back pressed against the hard wood as he took everything in.  _Steve had known the whole time, he was protecting me, he loved me._ He thought as the tears finally spilled, the familiar feeling of pain once more returning. He was so tired of feeling this way, he wanted it to stop, he just wanted to be happy again. And then he remembered moments ago, how he had felt when Steve and him had almost kissed, and how all the pain and anger had subsided in just that moment. He knew the sad and utterly painful truth, he was in love with Steve, and he couldn't live without him.

 _He'll never take me back now, not after everything that had happened_.

~*~

 Steve walked into his room, nothing but pain in his bones. He was through with his anger, he was just upset now. He collapsed to his knees, and the tears fell from his eyes once more, a cry tore from his throat, and he beat his fists into the floor, sobs racking his body, and he just beat the floor until his hands hurt.

 The words that had been shared within the other man's apartment still rang in his ears, words of hurt and pain and anger. Words he didn't mean. He was just so angry, so hurt. He wanted to go back in there and beg for Tony to forgive him, beg him to take him back. He was willing to walk to hell and back if that's what it took to get him back. He had walked that path every day without Tony right there beside him, and he would gladly walk that path again. If it only meant that Tony would come back.

  _Please Tony, you changed your mind once, please, just change it again_. Steve slowly lifted himself off the floor, and dragged himself into his cold and empty bed, wishing more than anything to have Tony lying with him. He laid back in his bed, and curled up, watching out the window as the rain slowly began to fall, washing away the pain of the day that so many may have suffered, but not Steve's. The pain stayed with him, and he knew it would.

 Hours passed, and Steve tried to pass the time by reading, but it was no use. He couldn't sleep. Around midnight, he gave up, sighing as he turned off the light. Darkness spilled over the room, covering him like a cold blanket. He felt like he was suffocating, he couldn't handle the complete darkness. He reached into his nightstand and pulled out his phone, setting it on his chest and watching as it lit up the room with its dim glow.

 The soldier looked over to the empty side of his large bed, the opposite side mostly made up, save for the times he would kick or shift and cause the covers to come undone, and force him to make them up once more in the morning, forcing him to be painfully reminded of the man who once shared the space beside him. The same man who had the power to make him fall apart, and build him right back up again. The only person who truly held his heart.

 Steve just wanted to sleep. He just wanted this day to be behind him, for the past to be set behind him and just allow him to get a moment sleep. He ran his fingers through his hair, tangling his blond locks with those large fingers of his as he tried desperately to ease the headache that had set over him.

 He closed his eyes, only to open them once more a moment later. The phone on his chest buzzed, and he lifted it up to check who was calling him at this ungodly hour. The number was blocked, but he answered nonetheless. "Hello?" he muttered, trying to make his voice sound tired, so as not to let the person know that he had been sitting wide awake.

 "I can't sleep." The voice said, not bothering to try and sound tired. Steve immediately knew who it was, and a smile found its way to his lips. "My room's open." The soldier said, losing its tired tone and replacing it with one of pure happiness. The other person on the other end hung up without another word, and moments later, a body crawled in beside Steve's, curling up to him and cuddling against his warm body. The soldier wrapped his arms around the other, pulling the covers up around them and sighing with content. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, and within minutes, he was asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been able to write smut for this chapter like I tried but nothing.

 The next morning, Steve woke up to an empty bed. The other side looked as it had when he had gone to bed, minus the man he had wished to find in it.  _It was probably a dream,_  He mused, but the heavy scent of alcohol made that thought hard to believe. He sighed, looking out the window to the bright day.  _How can it be so nice when I feel so crappy?_  He wondered, scrubbing his face with his hands. He sighed loudly, wondering if it was even worth it to get out of bed. He knew he would just have to face everyone downstairs, including Tony. A blush ran over his face once more as he remembered what he had done in an attempt to get him back.

 The sound of his phone ringing got his attention, and he looked at the caller ID.  _Of course,_  He thought painfully, and pressed answer. "Director Fury, how are-" "Don't waste time with greetings Captain. I want your's and Stark's asses down at HQ in one hour. No excuses." Fury growled, and hung up before Steve could say goodbye. He sighed aloud, and rolled out of bed. He threw on some clothes, fixed up his hair, and brushed his teeth. The usual routine. He walked out of his apartment without breakfast; he had lost his appetite, which was quite unusual for the super soldier. He took the stairs, deeming them best fit to avoid any awkward questions from Clint or Bruce.

 He just got on his bike and took off, not bothering to try and slow the commute. He figured the faster he got there, the faster he could get this whole thing over with, and the sooner he could get back home and sulk in his bed. He knew the meeting with Fury was not going to be pleasant, and prepared himself for whatever was about to happen.

~*~

 Tony groaned softly as he awoke from his slumber, turning over and brushing noses with the person whose bed he lay in. A soft gasp escaped him, as he realized where he was, and just who he was with.  _Steve looks so peaceful when he's sleeping,_ He thought, a smile twitching at his lips. He was wrapped in the man's arms, which held him close to the soldier's chest. He tried to remember what had happened last night, after the fight that seemed to blur in his mind, but all he could recall was him climbing into Steve's bed around midnight. And then, that was it. He fell asleep faster than he ever had before.

 A part of him wanted to remain where he was, and never move again. He wanted to just stay there, wrapped up in Steve's arms. But he knew he couldn't. If the other man woke up now, who knows what would happen between them.  _Something I want to happen._  He thought, and immediately scolded himself for the thought.  _No, we're over, we can't be together. All we do is cause each other pain._ But, it was the pain that he felt that let him know how much he loved this man, how badly he wanted to be with him.

 He sighed softly, knowing he would have a lot of thinking to do today, and kissed Steve's nose, causing the man to stir and crinkle up his face. Tony chuckled lightly, and slipped out, making sure to make up his side of the bed, and headed out. Better Steve didn't know this happened, at least, not at the moment.

 And so, he headed out of Steve's bedroom, not closing the door behind him, figuring the sound of it would wake the man. He looked at the clock, it was going on nine, and he knew Steve would be getting up soon enough. The soldier didn't like to sleep in. Tony made his way out quietly, and went to his own room to shower. He didn't run into anyone on the elevator, and figured they were all downstairs at breakfast by now. He decided to avoid them for right now, but knew Bruce would probably try and catch him down in his lab, with a few questions as to what happened the night before; questions he was in no mood to answer. 

 He got in his room, stripped, and jumped in the shower. He let the water flow over him for a bit, water droplets falling on his chest and making use of the scars that patterned his chest to make different trails. He ran his hand over the scars, feeling where his arc reactor once was. It was strange to think that for so long, the small device had kept him alive, and now, it was gone, but the scars were still a painful reminder of what was there, and those could never be healed.

 He finally toweled off after being in the shower for a good ten minutes, and checked his phone. One missed call from Fury. "Jarv? Why'd Fury call?" Tony asked the AI, going to his bedroom to dress. "He said that he would like a meeting with you and the Captain, sir, in one hour." Jarvis answered. "Ah, looks like my little stunt got Fury's panties in a twist." The brunette smirked, but the thought of seeing Steve again unnerved him.  _Fury just has a way of timing these things perfectly doesn't he?_

~*~

  Steve arrived at the meeting place on time, and was surprised to see Tony there as well. Neither said a word to the other, even though the soldier wanted to do nothing more than to apologize for the fight that had happened the other day. But he kept his mouth shut, taking a seat across from the brunette, who seemed to be hung over from the night before, and even had a bottle to add to the appearance. They never broke eye contact as Tony took a long swig, quenching the desperate thirst that had suddenly attacked him.

 "It seems like even after we fight there's someone who wants to force us back together," Tony said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them for minutes. "Force seems like a pretty strong word, don't you think?" Steve said sourly, keeping his face emotionless. "Not strong enough if you ask me." The brunette retorted. "You're always looking to start a fight aren't you?" The soldier questioned, and the other man shrugged. "Better than just sitting in silence isn't it?" "I don't happen to think so." The blond growled.  "And yet you continue to speak." Tony pointed out, causing the soldier to scowl and stand from his seat.

 "Where is Fury?" He wondered aloud, and the brunette shrugged again. "You can leave you know, I'll explain it to him. It'd be nothing new for me." He snapped, and watched with satisfaction as the blond's body tensed. "For a man who'd rather leave the past behind him, you do tend to bring it up a lot." Steve growled, turning around to see that Tony was right behind him. "I just started to think to myself, why I should I be the only one to suffer from something I only played a small part in?" The man said, voice harsh.

 "You make it seem like you were the victim in all of this." The blond snarled. Tony snorted. "Because if you truly think about it, I was. I was the one getting my heart broken, not you."

 "That's a lie and you know it."

 "Oh is it?"

 "Why the hell do you think I came back Tony?"

 "Because you just needed a place to stay. You don't care about my feelings." The brunette said, making his voice almost mocking, and causing the other to only be infuriated more. 

 "How drunk were you last night?"

 "Drunk enough." Tony shrugged.

 "So you don't remember what happened?"

 Tony's eyes widened a bit. "O-of course I do!" he stuttered, and a smirk found its way onto the other's lips. "Do you need a little, reminder, Mr. Stark?" he asked, moving towards the brunette. "And what if I do, Captain?" Tony questioned, fighting the urge to smirk. "I could show you of course." Steve offered, placing a hand on the other man's back.

 "You could," Tony went on tip toe a bit. "But you'd be a filthy liar." His lips met the blond's, and they kissed, a deep, loving kiss. Steve picked the other man up, and Tony wrapped his legs around the blond's waist, tangling his fingers in his locks as he was pressed up against the wall. "God I missed you." The brunette gasped between kisses, and moaned into the blond's mouth, feeling the other's hips buck up with excitement at the sound.

 "I missed you too," Steve muttered, moving his mouth to the other's neck and sucking on his collar bone, eliciting another moan. "Fuck," He dragged the word out, feeling his hardened member rub against the other man as he was moved against the wall. "I wish I could just take you here," The soldier panted in the man's ear, before kissing him once more. "Have my way with you, fuck you until you were begging for mercy," He smirked against the kiss. "And even then I wouldn't give it to you." "If you don't knock it off I'm going to come in my pants damn it." Tony warned, his voice shaking and low. Steve could only laugh breathlessly.

 "I see that everything here has been settled then," Fury's voice caught the two men off guard, and Steve nearly dropped the man he was holding. They looked in both shock and embarrassment at the man, who looked both amused and a bit embarrassed himself. "You two are free to leave when you please." he announced, before turning around and leaving the room.  

 Steve nodded quickly after him, and dropped his eyes, trying to find words. He was surprised to hear a soft chuckle echoing through the room. He looked up, and saw Tony with his face in his hands, body shaking, but apparent laughter erupting from him. The blond watched and listened as the laughter only got louder, and the brunette held his sides. Soon enough, the solider was laughing right there with him, the blush on his cheeks subsiding.

 Steve listened to the sweet laughter of the man he loved, and he felt the feeling return, he had missed it so much, and he knew that Tony was one who can make him feel it whenever. He could be in the most miserable of moods, but just one smile, one touch from Tony, and that was it. He was happy, at least for the moment. And he wanted that moment to last a little longer. "So, your place or mine?" he asked as the laughter turned into nothing more than a few chuckles. "Whichever is closer." The other muttered, and Steve lifted them up, doing everything in his power not to sprint out the door.

~*~

 "I feel like we never really 'make up,' we just sort of have sex, and suddenly we're back together." Tony muttered, playing with Steve's fingers. They were lying in the soldier's bed, basking in their doing, Tony's head on Steve's chest, and the soldier's arm wrapped protectively around his lover. "It's not just sex, though. It's making love." The blond corrected gently, rubbing the other man's back. He loved the way the two words sounded together, making love.

 "Yeah, I guess you're right." Tony muttered, but he wasn't fully happy. "But, I want to talk to you. Seriously." he sat up, still holding on to the other's hand. "Of course." Steve sat up as well, looking into the brunette's deep brown eyes. "I, I thought I meant it when I said I didn't want to see you again." The brunette muttered, dropping his eyes to their hands. "I was scared, I was so afraid that you would come back, and I would fall right back for you, and then we would hurt each other all over again. I didn't want to get hurt, I was scared, and I was being selfish... It's what I do best right?" He looked up at the man with a grim smile, and the soldier knew that what he felt in that moment was true pain.

 He didn't know what to say, so he just didn't say anything. He just pulled Tony into a hug, and held him against his chest. "I'm so sorry." he whispered, kissing the man's head, and feeling him hold him tighter. "I'm scared Steve, I don't want to lose you again, but I just can't trust you..." Tony whimpered, and Steve felt a pang of hurt. He understood why, but to hear it... "I want to, I swear I do, but I can't," The brunette whispered, hiding his face in the soldier's chest. "We can fix this. It'll take some time, but, I'm willing to try again if you are." Steve said, running a hand through the other's hair.

 "I am, and that's why I'm here. I know there's something deep between us." Tony muttered, and kissed the soldier's bare chest. "And I'm hoping that we can really go far." He smiled, and Steve's stomach growled. "You hungry?" The brunette asked, looking up at his lover. "Starved. You?" The blond responded. "You should know by now that sex makes me hungry." The smaller man laughed, pulling Steve from the bed. "Come on, you can show me how to make something really fancy." Tony teased. "It's my only wish to teach you how to make something fancy." Steve laughed, and pulled on some pants as he walked out of the bedroom with his lover, glancing back once to smile at his unmade bed.


	6. Chapter 6

_Get dressed, I'm taking you on a date. -_ SR

 Tony glanced at the text, rolling his eyes. Steve should know that he was busy; the guy had been cooped up in his lab all day. And the brunette was not about to come out now.  _Can't. -_ TS. He made the text quick and simple, hoping that the blond would take the hint and move on. He went back to his work for only a moment, when his phone buzzed again.  _Yes, you can. Go get cleaned up, we leave in an hour._  -SR.

 "For the love of..." Tony muttered aloud, growing annoyed with the continued interruption.  _Cap, I need to get this done. I don't have time for dates. And besides, we've been on plenty._  -TS. He didn't even bother to try and get back to his work, he knew Steve would be texting back at any moment, and he would have to drop everything and reply.  _No, we have not. We've never been on an official date, where we go out and show ourselves off as a couple._  -SR. Steve was right; even when they had been together while Pepper was still around, neither had really asked the other on a real date, and all displays of affection were kept to a minimum, and usually done in the car or beneath the table. But Tony still had work to do, and he couldn't ignore it.  _Babe, another time. -_ TS.

 Tony turned his phone off, not wanting to be bothered by anyone else. He needed some alone time, and this was it. About an hour later, an expected ring of the doorbell alerted the brunette of someone's arrival. He walked away from his project, covered in grease, sweat, and oil; he desperately needed a shower. But he would have to wait until after he answered the door. He wasn't surprised when he saw Steve, looking amazing as always, standing in his door with a bouquet of roses. The soldier looked at him, a slight scowl on his handsome face.

 "Steven, what on earth are you doing here?" Tony asked, mocking that of a young teenage girl. "You turned your phone off." Steve replied, voice flat. The brunette just smirked. "So I did." "I told you we were going out tonight." The blond reminded. "And I told  _you,_ " the other man said with a slight sigh. "That I had work to do." "All work and no play makes Tony a dull boy." Steve said sweetly, and a smirk twitched at his lips.

 "I regret the day I let you watch The Shining." Tony couldn't help but laugh. "And you'll probably regret the day that you miss our first official date." The soldier pointed out, handing Tony the roses and smiling. The brunette set his lips into a pout, knowing that the man was right. "Fine, let me just go put these in some water and get showered." He went to leave, but a hand on his arm stopped the smaller man in his tracks. "Oh no, I told you we were going out in an hour, you didn't listen. We're leaving now." Steve said, beginning to lightly drag the brunette out the door.

 "You really want to take me out looking like this while you look like that?" Tony questioned, giving the soldier a quick once over. The blond looked himself over, he was wearing jeans and a tight tee-shirt, it didn't seem so far from Tony's deep blue tank and grease stained pants. "Come on Tony, we're not going anywhere spectacular for dinner." Steve said, rubbing off some substance from the other man's arm. "Five minutes, I swear." Tony kissed Steve's nose, grinning. "You can join me if you like." The blond blushed slightly, but still let the other go. "Five minutes." His voice held a warning tone, but part of him knew that the other man would surely be much longer than that.

 The soldier decided to take a look around the place, and ended up stumbling across one of Tony's family photo albums. He picked it up, dusting off the cover before taking it back to the couch. He ran his hand over the cover, down the spine, and then over to the other side, taking extreme caution as he opened up the album. The first thing he saw a picture of Tony in the hospital, being held by a woman who Steve could only assume was the boy's mother. She had a gentle smile on her lips, and he could see the dark circles beneath her eyes, probably from being in labor and having been extremely exhausted from the strenuous work.

 He looked at baby Tony, eyes closed and head covered by a small blue hat. He has a smile on his little pink lips, and Steve could only imagine how happy his mother must be. He skipped forward a few pages, and saw Howard and Tony standing together, the father standing proud with his still young son. Steve could see the resemblance, Tony had Howard's hair, his facial structure, but that was it. Tony was all his mother, her smile, her eyes, all his best features came from his mother. Steve glanced at the next page, and his smile faded. Tony stands rigid, holding a first place trophy as his father beams.

 The boy's eyes seem dull and cold, not at all like how they had been. The look continues through the years, as the trophies pile up, and Tony grows older. Every time Tony is with his father, he looks ten years older than whatever age he was in the photo. It's not until he sees a younger Peggy does the boy seem happy. The woman sits, head thrown back in laughter, and the sight seems foreign to Steve; he had never seen her so carefree.

 Tony stands near her, holding her arms and appearing to be pulling her off the couch on which she currently resides, and Steve saw Tony's smile, his dark eyes light with joy, eyes crinkled at the corners. He seemed so young in the photo, actually looking his fifteen years. Steve looks at the photo with a broken smile, wondering what Peggy had been like after he disappeared. He turns another page, only to find that once more Tony's dark expression had returned, along with the trophies, certificates, awards, and Howard's sickeningly proud smile.

 "I haven't looked at that thing in years," Tony muttered, causing Steve to jump as he realized the other man had returned. "I-I was- I-" the blond stumbled for words, but none came. The other man simply chuckled, joining the soldier on the couch and taking one end of the album in his hand. Steve watched as the other's expression remained the same, a sad smile on his lips. He looks so distant, thought the blond, and reached out a hand to place it gently on his lover's cheek.

 This time, Tony was the one to jump. He looked over at the soldier, a slight look of fear in his eyes that faded quickly once they met the other man's. Neither said anything, they just looked at each other in silence. Steve knew he would never understand Tony's pain, the pain that he had felt from all those years living with Howard, trying to please him. "I'm sorry," The blond said, catching Tony off guard. "What?"

 "I'm sorry that I'll never be able to fix what he did to you." Steve continued, and he pressed his forehead against the brunette's. The other man simply closed his eyes, touching his nose to the blond's, and allowing him to just rest for a moment. To remember that that was all behind him, and he was here and now. "Come on, we're already late for our reservation." Tony muttered, and Steve nodded, standing and taking the brunette's hand in his own.

 "So where are we going?" Tony asked, curious to know where exactly he was going to be taken. "It's a surprise." The blond smiled. "Steve, you know how I feel about surprises..." The smaller man reminded, causing Steve to laugh. "I do, but this is a good one. We're going out for dinner and a movie. That better?" "Slightly." Tony smirked, which got him a playfully stern look from the blond.

 Steve had brought his bike, much to Tony's excitement and disappointment. Excitement because the bike meant he would be able to hold onto Steve, but disappointment because they wouldn't be able to talk; at least not comfortably. They ended up going to a small burger joint, one of their favorites. Steve was a perfect gentleman, he held the door, pulled out Tony's seat, and even complimented his date's attire. Tony shot him dirty looks the whole time. They ignored the stares they were getting, focusing on only each other.

 "So what was so important that you couldn't agree to come on a date with me tonight?" Steve asked after they had ordered drinks; Steve a cream soda, and Tony a root beer. "It was a special project for a new business. I don't want to bore you with the details."  Tony said, waving his hand in dismissal. "But I guess I could ask you a similar question, why did you decide tonight to take me out?" The blond bit his lip, dropping his eyes to the table and fiddling with his menu. "Well, I figured we should do something special today, get your mind off things." The brunette looked up, face showing obvious confusion. "What do you mean Cap?"

 "You've been so stressed lately, I mean, I know after- thank you." Steve paused to thank the waitress as she set their drinks down. "Are you all set to order?" The young woman asked, pen and pad in hand. "Yes I think we-" Steve began, but Tony cut him off. "Hold on just a minute would you?" he said, holding up a hand to the girl and looking at his date. "Tony what's-" "After what?" The man asked, voice stern. "I'll just, give you two a minute," The waitress said awkwardly, beginning to step away. "No really that's alright. Tony we can talk about this after," Steve muttered, putting his hand on Tony's raised one. "No we can't, go ahead and serve the other people, I want to know what the hell you're talking about so talk." Tony raised his voice unintentionally, causing the waitress to feel even more awkward. She began to walk away, but a cold look from the blond stopped her dead in her tracks.

 "Tony, you're making a scene, knock it off." Steve growled, causing Tony's annoyance level to rise. "Just tell me what you're going to say and then we can get on with the night!" The brunette said harshly. Some people were beginning to look around, and wonder what the hell the commotion was about. Steve grit his teeth, before taking the other man's hand and dragging him into the men's room, apologizing to the waitress as they went.

 Once they were in the small restroom, Steve locked the door and turned to his date. "And I'm the one making a scene?" he questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "What the hell is your problem Cap?" "My problem is your problem." The blond said, pressing himself up against the door and sighing. Tony thought about the line for a moment, and chuckled lightly to himself as he thought of Harley. " _I know you're cold. You wanna know how I know?"_ "Because we're connected." he muttered aloud, causing Steve to look up at him, completely confused. "What?"

 Tony snapped back to here and now, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I don't have a problem, everything's been going great." His face fell a moment, "Hasn't it?" "I'm just worried about you is all." The blond sighed, standing straight and crossing the floor to the other man. "I'm fine Cap, I'm not stressed, not since you came back. But remember that little thing I said about trusting you?" The brunette said, resting his head on Steve's chest. "Okay, I swear I was going to tell you, but I didn't think you wanted to involve the waitress in our private affairs." The man said, wrapping his arms around Tony's waist.

 "Remind me Capsicle, when have I ever been a man of privacy?" The smaller man questioned with a quirk of his brow. "How about when-" Steve began, but Tony cut him off by pressing their lips together. "Besides then." he muttered, keeping their lips close. Steve seemed to think for a moment, before shrugging. "I can't think of anything." "Exactly," the brunette smirked, moving his hand down and playing with the button of Steve's pants.

 "Now, what do you say we make this little affair," Tony breathed against the blond's neck before kissing it tenderly. "A little less private?" A low hum rumbled in Steve's chest, and the other man shivered as the blond traced his spine. "I say," he muttered, before locking his blue eyes to the brunette's brown ones. "That we should go eat." he whispered, smirking as he took a disbelieving Tony back out into the restaurant. "Who are you and what have you done to Steve?" the smaller man laughed as they sat down.

 "I'm still me," Steve shrugged, a light smile on his lips. "It's just a different side of me." "Well Cap, I have to say," Tony smiled, taking a sip of his root beer. "I'm not sad to see it." "To us." Steve raised his glass, and Tony did the same. "To us." he mimicked, and they toasted, before the waitress returned once more to take their orders.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason you don't know who it is. I want you guys to guess. And also because I like playing games.

"Can I help you sir?" The woman asked, and the man in question turned around, smiling brightly. "Yes, I'm looking for a nice engagement ring." he said, slightly nervous. The woman gave him a gentle smile. "Well, have some beautiful diamonds over here, does your soon-to-be-fiancee have any preference on design?"

 "He's difficult to shop for, I don't want to get him something super flashy, but I also want him to have something that'll stand out, and say, 'Hey, I got this from my boyfriend and I want everyone to know that he loves me'. " The man said, heart racing at the thought of his lover finally saying yes. She nodded, absorbing the information and narrowing down their choices. "Well, were you looking for a completely covered ring? If so, that'll raise the price tag quite a bit."

 The man shook his head. "In our line of work, I can see a lot of the diamonds getting knocked out and lost, also, I think he'd see it as a little womanly." he shrugged, looking at the beautiful rings in the cases. "Okay, so we want something subtle and manly, while still having that eye catching aspect." she mused, chewing her lip a bit as she thought about what she could show him. "Alright, I'll have you follow me right over here, and we'll see if we can't find you exactly what you're looking for."  she said as she brought him over to a long case, filled with different types of rings.

 They spent a while browsing over them, tossing back and forth different ideas that the other man would like. The woman offered up different options, and told him he could customize the ring any way he would like. "You can even get an engraving if you would like, but most tend to save that for actual wedding rings." She pointed out, to which the man nodded, pursing his lips in thought. He glanced over the rings once more, thinking that his efforts would be in vain, and he would have to go to another shop, and try and find something else.

 That's when he saw it.

 His eyes landed on a beautiful silver ring, A large diamond in a octagon holder, and beautiful designs along the side. "That one!" he exclaimed, eyes lighting up. The woman saw which one he was pointing to, and pulled it out for him. He held it up to the light, examine each detail carefully. Yes, this was it. This was the ring. "I'll take it." He smiled, and the woman smiled back.

 She took down the necessary measurements, and asked once more if he would like an engraving. "Yeah, actually I would." The man said. "What would you like?" she asked, grabbing a pen and preparing herself to write down his request. "Just put down, Te mi fido." He requested, a gentle smile on his lips. 

_Te mi fido. I trust you._


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony had to laugh. "No! No of course not. But, a little over a year ago, we stood here, and, you told me that you couldn't tell me all the things you needed to tell me. So instead, you showed me." He stepped towards the edge of the building, and looked down. "Well, right now, I can't put into words all the things I want to tell you." The man turned around to face his lover, smiling. "So, I thought I should just show you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Freaking be_mine and his/her ideas. God I really did love that idea I wish I had gone with it. Anyways have fun with this chapter.

"Tony, where are we going?" Steve laughed as he held out his arms, trying to avoid bumping into things. Tony had blocked the soldier's vision with a blindfold. He had even gone the extra mile, and driven them around a few blocks to try and screw with the blond's sense of direction. It was a nice try, but all those years in the war made Steve very good at direction. "Just follow the sound of my beautiful voice." Tony sang, causing the soldier to swoon a bit. He loved it when the man sang, even if it was for just a moment. "I will, but can you at least-"

The brunette cut off his boyfriend's talking with a kiss. "Shut up or you'll ruin it." he said sweetly, but there was a stern tone, and Steve did as asked. He continued to walk slowly, listening to Tony's jabbering about some other subject, completely irrelevant to what was going on. "-and then God said, let there be light!" The blindfold was removed, and Steve opened his eyes and gasped. They were back on the rooftop where they had shared their first kiss, the night lit up with the city lights below. "God, it's so different in the spring." The soldier murmured, and Tony nodded. "Still as beautiful though." They looked at each other, smiling lightly. The brunette closed the distance between them, going up on tip toe and kissing his boyfriend. "I love you Steve." he muttered as they broke the kiss, coming out a lot less subtle than he meant it to sound. Fuck subtly. "I love you too Tony," Steve said, smiling wide. He was so happy to hear those words again, it had been so long since Tony had uttered them, and each time felt like the first time. His smile faded for a moment, and he looked at the brunette questioningly. "You're not going to break up with me again are you?"

Tony had to laugh. "No! No of course not. But, a little over a year ago, we stood here, and, you told me that you couldn't tell me all the things you needed to tell me. So instead, you showed me." He stepped towards the edge of the building, and looked down. "Well, right now, I can't put into words all the things I want to tell you." The man turned around to face his lover, smiling. "So, I thought I should just show you."

Steve couldn't hide his confusion. "Tony what- what the hell are you doing?" the blond began to move quickly towards the other man, as he held out his arm and began to fall back. "Tony!" the soldier screamed, and dove for the man's hand as he reached out- falling to the ground as he latched onto his lover's wrist. He quickly scrambled to his knees, pulling the brunette up as quickly as he could.

Steve's breathing was quick, and his eyes were filled with tears as he pulled Tony close to him, falling backwards to get them as far away from the ledge as possible. "What the hell did you do that for?" the soldier yelled, still shaking from adrenaline as he rolled them over and pinned the other man beneath him, who still wore that god damn smirk of his.

"Because," Tony lifted his hand, staring deeply into those beautiful blue eyes that he had been able to find comfort in for so long now. He tangled his fingers in the blond's short hair, and reached into his own pocket, pulling out the small present. "I trust you." he whispered, and Steve gasped as his eyes fell upon the ring- the same ring Tony had picked out the other day. The soldier felt tears well up once more in his eyes, and he smiled wide as he pressed his lips against the brunette's, moving against them with the same passion he had when they first kissed, one year ago, on this night.

"Will you marry me?" Tony asked once they finally pulled away, breathless, and cheeks tear stained. "Yes, yes Tony I'll marry you." Steve laughed, and held out his hand so the other man could slide the ring on. "I'm always going to be here for you Steve," the brunette murmured, pressing his forehead against the larger man's. "And I'm always going to be here for you." the soldier responded, before his eyes flashed open and he gave Tony a hard shove, pinning him back onto the roof.

"But don't you ever do that to me again!" Steve ordered, and the other man rolled his eyes, laughing. "Well, don't make me propose twice, and I won't." The blond felt a smile twitch at his own lips, and he pulled Tony into another kiss, keeping him there even as the cold began to set in, even as the sun set, and even as tears began to fall once more from those beautiful blue eyes. "One more question," Steve muttered against the other man's lips, causing him to release a low growl of discontent. "What?" "What would have happened if I hadn't caught you in time?" The blond asked, and Tony pulled away for a moment, a sheepish grin on his his handsome face. "Uh, well, you did, so it doesn't matter." He tried to hide the complete fear that coursed through him, but the soldier wasn't buying it. "You didn't have a back up did you?"

"Well I figured -"

"Tony! You had no idea if I would be quick enough!"

"I trust you! Isn't that the important part?"

"The important part is that I'm engaged to an idiot!" Steve scoffed as he stood, rolling his eyes and smirking.

"Oh come on, babe! Steve!" Tony yelled as he watched the super soldier walk away, twisting his body to follow the man with his eyes. Steve didn't answer, he just opened the door to the stairwell, and shut it behind him. The brunette huffed, before standing, and going to chase down his lover. "Steve! Don't act like it wasn't the greatest proposal ever! I think I did pretty damn well!"

Natasha and Clint laughed aloud to themselves as they watched the fleeting couple from the neighboring rooftop. "Oh god Nat, you were right, I'm so glad I got to see this." The assassin laughed, wiping tears from his eyes as he sat up. The woman did the same, sighing lightly. "Well, I had to make sure Stark wouldn't hurt himself, I'd hate to have to deal with Rogers walking around like a lost puppy." The red head admitted, standing and brushing dirt off her outfit. "Oh please, was that really the only reason?" Clint asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, it was. Now get up, we have dinner reservations." Nat giggled, pulling on the man's outstretched hand. "Liar, liar, pants on fire." The assassin sang, causing his love to give him a dirty look. "Screw you Clint." She muttered, before beginning to walk away, and smiling lightly to herself as she thought of the new happy couple. Clint ran up beside her, taking her hand and kissing her cheek. "Love you Nat." he grinned, and she smiled back at him. "Love you too, Bird Brain." she laughed, kissing him once more before they headed down to join the others.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually really scared all of you are gonna hate this ending. So, try not to. And no, there will not be another story. Forget it. It's done.

 "Steve, do me a favor and freaking breathe!" Bruce said as he tried to calm the man.  It was the morning of the wedding, and Tony was being his usual self. "He's late Bruce, Tony is freaking late!" Steve muttered angrily, pacing back and forth in his room. Everyone was waiting in the other room, dressed in baby blues and silver, as requested by the pair. Steve was dressed in his old army suit, looking dashing as always. "It's Tony, he likes to pull-" The scientist tried to reason with the angry blond but was cut off. "Not today, not on our wedding day. I'm gonna kill him."

 "God I never thought I would see Steve become a bridezilla." Natasha laughed, her silver earrings clinking lightly as she did. Bruce and Natasha got put on duty to help try and calm the man, with Thor posted just outside the door, in case the soldier tried to make a break for it. The two weren't doing the best job as of yet. "You won't be laughing when this is you." he growled, and continued pacing.

 "Oh come on, he'll be here, we all know that he can't be far, and he must have a pretty damn good reason for being late." The woman sighed, and looked at the clock. The wedding was planned to start at noon, and it was going on 11:45.  _Where the hell are you Stark?_

_~*~_

"Sir, you are aware you have your own wedding to attend to, correct?" Jarvis asked, the AI's voice filled with concern and slight annoyance. Tony smiled at himself in the mirror, straightening his bow tie one last time. "Of course, but I like making Steve angry. He's hot when he's angry."   
"Then you may just want to skip right to the bedroom."  A familiar voice teased, and Tony turned around, wide eyed to see Pepper standing behind him. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up into a nice bun, her makeup done well, and her wearing a lovely blue dress- the one she wore when they had first danced all those years ago. Tony would never forget it.

 "Pepper," he whispered, and she gave him a slight smile. "I just wanted to say congrats, and to tell you how happy I am, for the both of you." There was no falter in her voice, nothing to show weakness or discontent. Tony gave her one of his famous smiles. "Thank you Pepper, that means a lot to me. Will you be attending the wedding?" The brunette asked, knowing very well they had sent her an invitation, but having never received an R.S.V.P. The woman gave a slight shake of her head. "I don't think that'd be very, professional of me. I can't say I wouldn't posses the urge to stand up and object." She laughed lightly, and Tony laughed with her. "I understand." He crossed the room, and took her hand in his, tilting her chin so that they now looked eye to eye. "I loved you. I still do. Please, know that."

 Pepper gave a slight nod, removing her chin from Tony's hand. "I know, Tony. I know. But, you need to be with someone who's going to make you happy. And if that's Steve," She took in a shaky breath, before letting it out, with a tight lipped smile. "So be it." Tony enveloped her in a hug, and kissed her temple. "Keep in touch." He whispered, and she promised to do so. And with that, she walked out the door, holding her head up high.

 The man watched her go, feeling the pain of heartbreak, but knowing he needed to do it. He needed that last goodbye. "Alright J.A.R.V.I.S, looks like I'm getting married." He smiled, and headed out to the garage, deciding to drive one of his sports cars, and headed out to the wedding.

~*~

"The couple has written their own vows. If you would," Clint motioned towards Steve, who was too busy trying to wrap his head around the moment to realize the man was even talking. "Huh? Oh, sorry." he muttered, smiling embarrassed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.

 "Tony we've been through a lot in the time we've been together, and most of it wasn't the best. And I have to say, the first time I met you, I wasn't exactly expecting much. But you've proved me wrong, and I hope that you continue to prove me wrong, about the things I should be wrong about." Tony laughed a bit at this, and Steve smiled, before continuing.

 "As I stand in front of you now, saying this, it almost doesn't seem real. I feel like I'm in a dream, but it's a dream I don't want to wake up from. I want to stay here forever, and just be with you for as long as I can. And if this is all some dream, I hope I get to fall in love with you all over again. I wouldn't change anything about us. I love you Tony Stark, and I can't wait until I can say the words, "This is my husband Tony". I can't wait to fall asleep next to you and wake up next to you, spend every moment we can together, until we get sick of each other and have to leave each other alone, but then realize that we can't be apart long and go right back to loving each other. I'm going to love living my life from this day forward, even more than I did before. I love you Tony, and I always will."  

 The other man smiled and took in a breath. "I didn't actually write mine down, I tried, but every time I did the words didn't seem to fit. So, I'm just gonna say them. You know I'm not the most sentimental person. You know all my little faults and know my best perks; it's like you see right into me. I love the way everything feels when I'm with you, it's like, there's no pain when I'm with you. You take all that away and I hope that I can do the same for you. I want everyday that we're together to seem like we're falling in love for the first time, and each time we fall a little farther, a little deeper, and each day we learn more and more about each other. I want each day to be an adventure for us. My whole life, I never thought I would settle down. Oh, hey, there's something that you proved me wrong about."

 The crowd shared a laugh, along with the two men. "Today, Steve, I think I love you more than I ever have, if that's even possible. And I know the road ahead of us is going to be a hard one, but I don't think it's anything two superheroes in love can't handle. I love you Steve, and I'm never going to stop."

 Clint went through the rest of the necessary vows, to have and to hold, sickness and in health, the whole nine yards. And neither man could wait for the moment the words finally came out of the assassin's mouth. "I now pronounce you two married, and you may now kiss your husband." Steve quickly pulled Tony into the kiss, even going as far as to twirl him into a low dip.

 The crowd around them whistled and cheered, and the two men finally broke the kiss long enough to stand up and raise their married hands together. They walked with each other down the isle, and into the limousine, knowing everyone was excited to go to the after party.

~*~

 "Will you knock it off and let me lead?" Steve whispered as sweetly as he could to his new husband. Tony snorted. "In your dreams, Cap, if we're doing this, I'm leading." the man argued as he once more refused the steps that the blond put forth. "Tony, this isn't funny anymore." Steve said sternly, but he couldn't help but smirk. "Then why are you smiling?" the brunette teased, and quickly stole a kiss from his husband's lips, pulling away before he could continue.

 "Because I love you." the man whispered, and Tony smiled, letting up a bit on his defiance, but only a bit. "Thank you." Steve muttered, kissing Tony's temple, and the smaller man rested his head on the other's chest. "I love you too." Tony said quietly, and a low chuckle erupted in Steve's chest. "I know." Without warning, he spun Tony out, twirling him, and causing everyone in the room to smile.

 When Tony came back in, he was giving a playful glare to the blond. "Jerk." he laughed, once more resting his head on Steve's chest once more, and listening to the slow beat of the song. They had chosen 18th Floor Balcony by Blue October. It was a great song to capture both their first kiss and their proposal. And as they danced there now, a happily married couple, still bickering over the little things, they knew, some how, that this was all a work of fate.

 That it was just a matter of time before they would end up together, that they would fall in love, and soon enough get married and be happy, for as long as they both shall lived. Their hearts were forever intertwined, as were their destinies. And somehow, that sounded like the best thing that could ever happen to them.

~*~ 

 "Tony, Tony wake up." Steve gently nudged his husband, causing the man to groan and look up. "Are we there?" the brunette asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "We just landed. Come on, they already unloaded our bags." the blond confirmed, half carrying his husband out of the private jet. Tony began to open his eyes, laying eyes on the gorgeous scenery before them. A secluded beach house, perfect for them, as was the weather.

 "It's beautiful." Steve murmured, kissing Tony's temple, as he quickly picked him up bridal style, smiling happily. The brunette laughed as he was carried over the thresh hold, thinking that he would be carried into the bedroom. He was surprised to have been set down in front of a wood burning fireplace, a glass of Schnapps in a bucket of ice, and rose petals decorating the floor around him. He touched them gently, looking up to see Steve sitting down in front of him, a soft smile apparent from the gentle flames of the fire. 

 "I'm surprised in you Cap, I would have thought for certain we would be in that bedroom right now." Tony said, nearing himself so that he was now on Steve's lap. The soldier laid himself down, grabbing a pillow from the nearby couch and relaxing back. "

 I want to enjoy this, us being married first." The brunette cocked an eyebrow, lifting himself onto Steve's chest. "And us making love wouldnt' be enjoying us being married?" Steve couldn't help but laugh at that one. "I want to know a little more about you, I want to know some things that I never would have guessed." Tony hummed, before grabbing the bottle of Schnapps and handing it to the soldier to open. "Alright, but I want sex later." "And you'll get your sex." the blond sipped at the bottle, before handing it off. "So, you start."

 Tony chewed on his lip, taking a small sip of the liquor. "What do you want to know?" "The little things, like what's your favorite food?" Steve began, and Tony was quick to answer. "Cheeseburger. Your turn." the man said, handing the bottle back over. "You're gonna laugh at me." the blond murmured, taking a sip. "What, is it apple pie?" Tony guessed, and even in the lighting, he could see a blush creeping up his husband's face. "You're such a dork." the brunette laughed, kissing the soldier's nose. "Shut up and give me your question." He muttered, and Tony took a moment. "Chunky or smooth?"

 "Chunky." Steve said, scrunching his nose up at the thought of a smooth peanut butter. "Really? I pictured you as a smooth type of guy." Tony admitted, taking the bottle after the blond had his sip. "Why? Are you?" the soldier inquired, to which the brunette shrugged. "I go both ways." He smirked, and Steve lightly tapped him with the pillow. "Hilarious. Alright, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?" "Vanilla, but it has to have salted butter caramel. Otherwise, I won't touch the stuff." He sipped the schnapps.

 "I like black raspberry, it's got a bit of a tang to it." Steve said, taking the bottle and once more taking a sip. "You have a bit of a tang to you too, you know." Tony smirked, kissing his husband. "Special code word for sex?" Steve's eyes widened at this one, and he sat up. "Wh-what do you mean?" The brunette hid his intentions well. "Like, something you would call sex, if you were in public. Come on Cap, you have to answer." the man urged, poking the soldier's pec. 

 "I don't want to."

 "You gotta. Part of the game."

 "Since when did this become a game?"

 "Since I said so. Now answer."

 Steve bit his lip, before his eyes set in a playful stare. "I'd rather ask you. So, Mr. Stark," he leaned forward, only a hair away from Tony's face. "Do you, fondue?" Tony began to giggle like a little girl, before wrapping his legs around Steve's waist, as he was carried into the bedroom, and Steve got an answer to his question.

~*~

 They spent a month at the beach house, before deciding to rent a place in New York. They were set on moving in to Avengers tower, but wanted to enjoy the feeling of being a newly wed couple for a bit longer. And that feeling lasted for about six months, until a ring of the door bell happened the day after their six month anniversary.

 It was a quiet afternoon, and Steve was dressing to do a little training with Natasha. Tony was lounging around in his pajamas, waiting until the afternoon, when he would be expecting Bruce to arrive so they could do a little bonding over science per usual. "I'll be home around one," Steve said, pulling his athletic bag up onto his shoulder as he kissed his husband goodbye. "Alright, I'll be here when you-" The sound of the doorbell ringing cut him off.

 "I got it." Tony grumbled, getting up and moving to the front of the large rental home. He opened the door, and laid eyes on a young boy, probably around the age of eighteen, with rich brown hair, and familiar brown eyes. "Can I help you?" the man questioned, and the boy looked up from his phone, obviously surprised.

 "Uh, yes, hi, You're, Tony Stark correct?" The boy asked, to which Tony cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know, I may have to check my birth certificate," the man joked, and the strange boy's lips twitched at a smile. "Well, Mr. Stark, my name's Peter Parker and," He stopped mid-sentence as Steve showed up behind Tony, looking curiously between the two. "And?" Steve continued, wondering what was going on.

 "And," Peter swallowed heavily, sticking his hand out to the men. "I'm your son."


End file.
